The End of the Madness
by Yukito-sama
Summary: Just a version of Alice defeating the Mad Hatter and what happens before she goes off to see Gryphon. There are some lines from Lewis Carroll's book as well.


The End of the Madness  
  
  
Alice threw the Deadly Jacks fiercely at her oncoming terror. The attack had been going on for,   
what seemed like, hours. Her looming attacker lashed out with his cane and scalding hot tea being tossed at   
her until the delicate china smashed before her. The missals he launched were as deadly as his other toys,   
but easily dodged. All Alice could do was run from this gangly creature and launch attacks at it from afar.  
  
With full force Alice threw her Jack Bomb into the Mad Hatter's direction. The toy bounced and   
came to a stop before the tall man. He looked down at it, once his mind came off of the jacks, and   
wondered. The Jack popped out of the box and began to spin, spewing flames all around. The Mad Hatter   
screamed in pain as the flames licked at his legs and arms. Alice watched, catching her breath, as the toy   
combusted and the Hatter was knocked off balance.  
  
In her final attempt to defeat the Mad Hatter, Alice pulled out her Vorpal Blade. As she threw it at   
the Hatter she noticed a tea cup coming towards her. She had no time to react and was hit straight in the   
chest. Alice stumbled backwards, her skin burning and her eyes misted by the fumes. Her back came in   
contact with a pillar and she stopped, rubbing her eyes furiously.  
  
A scream reached Alice's ear. Her vision slowly came back and she finally saw what was emitting   
such a horrid sound. The Mad Hatter had fallen, the Vorpal blade lodged between his eyes and blood   
streaming down his face. The screams continued and Alice watched her old friend jerk around as his brain   
began to wither away from the blade's point. She almost felt sorry for him.  
  
Suddenly the Mad Hatter's hat exploded, as did his head beneath it. Alice screamed and turned   
away from the sight. Her heart raced in her chest and her ears rang from the blast. She quivered and raised   
her hands to hear ears. Alice half expected blood to trickle down her earlobes from the loud boom. She   
lowered her shaking hands and let out a soft sigh.  
  
Alice slowly turned around and her breath was caught in her throat. The Mad Hatter's body was   
left, laying in a growing pool of blood that spewed from his decapitated body. The Vorpal blade sat a few   
feet away from the body, glistening with blood. Alice quickly retrieved her weapon and cleaned it of with   
her dress. Her eyes lingered on the Mad Hatter's still body.  
  
  
'Your hair needs cutting.' the Hatter said, breaking his silence. He had been staring at Alice ever   
since she appeared and with much curiosity.  
  
'You should learn not to make personal remarks,' Alice said with great harshness 'it's very rude!'  
  
The Hatter's eyes widened as he heard Alice's remark. 'Why is a raven like a writing desk?' was   
all that he said.  
  
  
Alice took a few steps towards the Mad Hatter's motionless body. The cane rested beside him, an   
object that Alice hadn't seen when she first met him. He was younger than, more lively and less obsessed   
with Time. In the years Alice could only imagine the pain and deterioration that the Mad Hatter had gone   
through. The mercury was what made him snap. It was the only conclusion Alice could make.  
  
"Time. . . ." Alice whispered as she took a few more steps towards the Mad Hatter. Her memory   
slowly began to return to her first meeting with the strange man.  
  
  
Alice gave a weary sigh. 'I think you might do something better with the time than waste it in   
asking riddles that have no answers.' she quipped  
  
'If you knew Time as well as I do,' the Hatter shot back with a frown, 'you wouldn't talk about   
wasting it. It's him.'  
  
'I don't know what you mean.' Alice said, slightly confused from the Hatter's sudden outburst.  
  
'Of course you don't!' the Hatter remarked tossing his head contemptuously. "I dare say you   
never even spoke to Time!'  
  
  
The Mad Hatter's body lay motionless and cold. Alice slowly fell to her knees beside the corpse.   
Those years ago the Mad Hatter was a strange friend. She enjoyed his company and the tea parties he held.   
The March Hare and the Dormouse loved her presence as well, liking a change of faces now and then.  
  
Alice touched the cold, dead skin of her old friend. She smiled faintly and a tear trickled down her   
cheek. Yes, she did feel bad for the Mad Hatter, but this man wasn't her friend. This man was something   
completely different; a mercury tainted mind hell bent on taming Time. Finally, though, the Hatter was free   
from the madness that had once enslaved him.  
  
"I'll miss you." Alice whispered.  
  
"Come, Alice. Time is of the essence and we haven't much." the Cheshire Cat mused, suddenly   
appearing beside the child. He peered down at the dead body but his smile never faded. "Old memories die   
hard, don't they Alice?"  
  
"Yes, they do, Cat." Alice replied. She blinked and looked at the tattered feline. She smiled   
faintly. "What will happen to the March Hare and the Dormouse?"  
  
The Cheshire Cat cocked his head to one side. "They are beyond our help, Alice. Which would   
you rather save: two friends or a world full of people depending on you?"  
  
Alice sighed. "The answer I want is the answer that will hurt us all. I can only continue on ward   
and hope that the Mad Hatter's machines will stop."  
  
"You must hurry. Gryphon is waiting for you. He will be of much help." the Cheshire Cat said,   
nudging Alice's arm with his head.  
  
"Yes." Alice whispered, lightly touching the Mad Hatter's shoulder. "He will help me save   
Wonderland." She climbed to her feet only to see that the Cheshire Cat had disappeared. She let out a   
heavy sigh and ran over to the, now working, clock. With a heavy breath she jumped onto the moving   
weights and took her final looks at her fallen friend and enemy. 


End file.
